


Metanoia

by WhiteCatInDisguise



Series: The Tales of White and Black [2]
Category: Wakfu
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2019-10-23 21:59:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17691875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteCatInDisguise/pseuds/WhiteCatInDisguise
Summary: "Metanoia (n.) - the journey of changing one's mind, heart, self, or way of life"A story of a certain green-winged Eniripsa who, after losing everything, found herself again.A spin-off of The Tales of White and Black. I recommend reading it before continuing with this one.





	1. Gorgonize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Gorgonize (v.) - to have a paralyzing or mesmerizing effect on someone"

A buzz. Neither quiet, as it was easily caught, nor loud, as people could still other sounds. Just... a buzz. Several heads turned in the direction it was coming from and shook their heads, the all-knowing smiles finding their ways to their faces. Some children pointed their tiny fingers at the source, eyes wide in surprise. Others chuckled under their breaths as the buzz travelled through the village.

The buzz was getting closer now. The door was pushed open and the small tornado of energy rushed into the house. It didn't pay attention to the shouts from the living room, telling it to slow down and mind its manners. The buzz zoomed up the stairs and straight into the room at the end of the corridor.

"It hatched!" the buzz exclaimed cheerfully. "I went to see how it's doing this morning and it was shattered. At first, I thought some animal has found my hiding place and ate it. But then I noticed the small prints on the ground. I followed them to the corner and then I saw it. Look!"

A small hand extended and revealed a tiny piwi chick looking around groggily. It had yellow feathers and large blue eyes. Equally large amber ones were staring right at the small animal sitting on the palms.

"It's so cute!" the brown-coloured eyes sparkled. "What do you think I should call him? I was thinking about Mr Puffy because he's so soft" the small hand petted the piwi gently. There was a silence, followed by the gasp of realization. "What if it's a girl?!"

A light chuckle from the other occupant of the room made the amber eyes look up.

"Lively as ever, my little buzz" the elderly woman shook her head in amazement. She stood up from her armchair and fluttered her green wings to approach her guest. She raised her wrinkled hand and patted the girl on the head.

"But it's important, grandma" she replied with puffed cheeks. "What if I keep calling it Mr Puffy and it turns out it is a girl? This would be so embarrassing!"

The elderly Eniripsa laughed again and flew back to her armchair. She sat down and patted her lap. The girl squeed in joy and quickly moved forward, making herself comfortable. The little piwi in her hand yawned and burrowed itself between the fingers.

"It doesn't matter how you call it, as long as you love it, little buzz" grandma said looking lovingly at her granddaughter. "I love you the same, no matter if I call you "little buzz" or Anrika"

The young Eniripsa snuggled closer under the woman's arm and hummed happily. She eyed the sleeping Piwi and pondered. Her mind was filled with different names she could call her new friend. She just couldn't decide. She let out a sigh and her grandma chuckled.

"Did you know Master Joris used to have a pet flea?" the woman asked in an intriguing tone. Anrika's eyes shot up to her, little stars visible.

"Really?!" she called out, scrambling to look her grandma in the eyes. "What was it like? Was it a girl or a boy? Did he love it? Wait, that's a stupid question. Of course, he loved it. Did he-" she blurred out but was quieted down by the wrinkled finger on her lips.

"Hush now, little buzz. Or I won't tell you anything" the woman threatened but smiled at the girl's enthusiasm.

Out of all stories, those involving Master Joris were Anrika's favourite. She didn't know was it because of the thread of mystery around the famed Bontarian Master, or maybe his character. Nevertheless, the young Eniripsa seemed to absorb every word from the stories.

Sometimes it seemed as if she had a little child-like crush on the small master, which amused the old woman. Most of her drawings presented Master Joris performing heroic actions, like saving the town from the Ogrest's Chaos, defending the poor and fighting the evil. Once, even, the woman found a drawing stuffed deep inside the pillow of the small girl. It was a simple drawing, only two people holding hands. One was Master Joris and the other seemed to be a small Eniripsa with blond hair, brown eyes and green wings. There was a big red heart connecting the two. The old woman laughed to herself as she looked at the drawing. What was the most amusing was Anrika's reaction when she noticed her grandma looking at the drawing. She rushed to her and grabbed for the paper, her chubby cheeks flushed red. The elderly Eniripsa had to promise to never tell Anrika's parents about the drawing.

Sitting in her armchair, she chuckled as she remembered the events. It was two years ago, Anrika being seven now. And still, it looked like her interest with Master Joris never faded. Sometimes she kept on nagging the old woman until she told her another story. Some stories were real, but most of them were imagined, created on-spot. Luckily, the elderly Eniripsa had an amazing memory, so when the girl asked to hear the particular story again, she could repeat it without a problem.

"Grandma?" Anrika's voice brought the woman back to reality. The girl tilted her head in confusion. "Something's wrong?"

"No, everything's fine, little buzz" the woman patted her granddaughter's head gently. "Now, what was I talking about?"

"You were talking about Master Joris' pet flea" the young girl reminded.

"Ah yes, now I remember" the old Eniripsa smiled gently and made herself comfortable in the armchair. "Fleeflee"

"That was its name?" Anrika asked anxiously.

"Yes, now hush" grandma silenced the girl and started speaking.

~~~

_It was in the year 395, many hundreds of years ago, long before Ogrest claimed the Primordial Dofus and the era of Ogrest's Chaos begun. Master Joris, known as Jojo at the time, was living a happy childhood in the city of Astrub. His adoptive father, Kerubim Crepin, owned a shop called "Kerub's Bazaar", which was on the ground floor of their house._

_As the shop was pretty popular, Kerubim was busy for the most part of the day, leaving Jojo on his own. Not much different from other children of his age, Jojo was bored with no one to play with. He tried to get his adoptive father to join him but the old Ecaflip was too caught up with his clients he didn't pay attention to the young Jojo._

~~~

"Poor Master Joris..." Anrika whispered but covered her mouth soon after, looking apologetically at her grandma. The elderly Eniripsa smiled a little and resumed.

~~~

_One day, when Kerubim was particularly busy at his shop, Jojo sneaked out of the house. He wandered the streets of Astrub, pranking the shopkeepers and other citizens. He played for hours, never before feeling so happy in his short life._

_It wasn't until the sunset, Jojo noticed he wandered to the unknown part of town. With horror, he realized he no more knew where he was, and which way was home. As if to worsen his situation, the sky darkened with clouds and the heavy rain started to pour down on the cobbled streets. The five-year-old Jojo tried his best to remember the way to the Bazaar but to no avail. Desperate, he tried calling out to the people on the street but they were all rushing to their homes and didn't pay attention to the lost child. Broken, he meandered down the street, his drenched clothes hanging on his tired body. He somehow found himself in one of the backstreets, hiding between old crates. He was trembling and he could feel the fever starting up. He closed his eyes, fighting the tears. The happiness burst like a soap bubble, the feeling of loneliness overtaking him._

_Suddenly, there was a noise to his left. Jojo tensed, not knowing what was the source. For a few restless moments, nothing happened, and Jojo thought he must have misheard something. And then, at the corner of his vision, he saw something. The shape was small and it looked somehow like an upside-down bowl with six legs attached to it. Jojo was staring in silent horror at the shape, not daring to move or speak. The creature moved forward but a sudden flash of lightning scared it and it bolted towards Jojo, burying itself in his cape. Only then, he was able to determine the species to which the creature belonged._

_"It's just a flea" Jojo whispered with a sigh of relief, as the terrified animal trembled under his arm. He moved his other hand and gently stroked it. "Are you scared?" he asked quietly, to which the flea nodded energetically. Another thunder roared from above and the creature tensed before tucking itself deeper under the cloak. "Hey, it's alright. Nothing to be afraid of" Jojo soothed, his hand stroking the flea's head. He kept on talking and soon the creature seemed to calm down._

_Few hours later, Kerubim found the two, sleeping soundly between the crates. His anger at Jojo leaving the Bazaar without notice melted at the sight of his adoptive son safe and sound. He gently picked him up, careful not to disturb his sleep. The flea's eyes fluttered open and it stared groggily at the old Ecaflip._

_"Don't worry, I'm taking you home" he said quietly. The flea yawned and went back to sleep, huddled between Jojo's arms._

_From this day, the flea, named Fleeflee by Jojo, became the member of their small family. Jojo had now a play companion for the times Kerubim was busy at the shop. The elderly Ecaflip, on the other hand, tried to spend less time at work and more taking care of his son. He was his greatest treasure, after all._

~~~

The old Eniripsa finished the story and smiled, looking down at her granddaughter. The girl's amber eyes were larger than usual, staring at her grandma in amazement.

"Woah..." was the only thing she managed to say. The elderly woman chuckled and stroked the girl's hair. She was to say something when the door opened and a younger woman walked into the room.

"That's enough, Anrika. Don't bother grandma any longer" she said with a smile.

"Am not!" the girl pouted before her eyes sparkled. "Did you know that Master Joris had a pet flea?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Did he?" the younger woman replied. "You can tell me all about it later. Now go and wash your hands before dinner"

"Yey, dinner!" Anrika cheered and picked up the small Piwi which she laid on the pillow when listening to the story. "Can I get some seeds for Mr Puffy too?"

"I think there are some in the cupboard in the kitchen. Ask Papa to find them for you" the woman suggested and barely managed to move away as the girl rushed out and flew down the stairs. She shook her head and approached the elderly Eniripsa to help her stand up. "So... Master Joris had a pet flea, huh?"

"Indeed he had" the grandma replied with a smile. "Not all stories I tell are imaginary"

"I still believe she should spend more time with other children, rather than listening to those stories," the young woman said. The older woman chuckled as they made their way downstairs.

"Like you were any better, darling" she laughed silently. "Don't think I didn't notice you sneaking storybooks to school"

"I was seven!" the woman argued with a blush.

"So is your daughter and my granddaughter" the elderly Eniripsa replied with a smile. "Don't worry, she will get over it soon"

"If you say so..." the other woman replied as she followed her mother into the dining room. Her lips curved up at the sight of Anrika feeding the small Piwi, while enthusiastically retelling the story of Master Joris' pet to her husband. _Oh well, she's just a seven-year-old_ , she thought as she took her place by the table.

\---

The door to the house opened abruptly, pushed with a great force. The occupants winced as the wooden frame hit the opposite wall.

"What's the meaning of this?!" the younger of the two women shouted as her daughter sped up the stairs. There was another crash as the door to her bedroom closed.

The three sitting in the living room exchanged quizzical looks. The lone man seemed to ponder about something before shooting his head and going back to his book. The younger woman sighed at her husband's behaviour. Whenever he was met with a troubling situation, he preferred to step out and leave it for her and her mother.

Speaking of whom, the older Eniripsa stood up and moved towards the stairs, her green wings fluttering softly.

"Mom?" she questioned. The old woman turned her head and smiled gently.

"I'll see to it" she offered. The younger woman wanted to oppose but remembering her daughter's last tantrum she decided otherwise. She had no desire to deal with it today.

With a small nod, she agreed to her mother's offer. She eyed the old Eniripsa as she slowly flew upstairs and heard her wrinkled hand knock on the door.

"Little buzz, may I come in?" the elderly woman asked. When no answer came in, she gently pushed the door open and let herself in. A quick scan of the room helped her locate the small girl huddled behind the bed. She took notice of the green-coloured circular glasses laying by the opposite wall as if thrown away with anger. Humming with realization, she lowered herself to reach for the frames.

She approached her granddaughter. Mr Puffy was sitting nearby, its eyes saddened by its master's despair. She patted it gently as she sat on the bedside, facing the girl.

"Do you want to tell me, what happened?" the elderly Eniripsa questioning, deciding on hearing the story from the girl herself. There were a sniffle and a shake of the head. "Does it have anything to do with these?" she tried again, motioning to the glasses.

The amber eyes gazed at the object and the blond ponytails jumped as the head moved up and down. There were a few moments of silence between the two Eniripsas.

"I hate them" the girl finally said, eyeing the green frames. "They're disgusting. Everyone at school makes fun of me"

"Hm... I thought you don't care about how other people see you" grandma replied with a small smirk. The girl hesitated.

"I don't but..." she stopped mid-sentence. The elderly Eniripsa chuckled to which the girl puffed her cheeks in childish anger.

The wrinkled hand grabbed for the chin, thinking about something. She smiled mischievously at the girl.

"Did you know Master Joris was also laughed at?" she asked. The amber eyes shot up in surprise.

"What do you mean?" Anrika asked. "Why?"

"Because of his looks, of course," grandma replied as if it was obvious. She grinned as the girl scrambled up from her hiding place and made herself comfortable on the bed beside her. Storytime, the old Eniripsa thought to herself.

~~~

_It happened when Master Joris was barely ten years old. Along with his adoptive father, Kerubim Crepin, and his pet flea, Fleeflee, he moved to Bonta. He had no friends apart from Fleeflee, so he felt lonely and unhappy. He tried his best to become friends with other children but they were reluctant. Was it because he was new to the city, or because of his strange appearance, he just couldn't befriend anyone. The kids either ran away from him or laughed and called him names. Jojo was so upset he spent less and less time outside the shop, preferring the safety of his own room._

_Of course, Kerubim was troubled by his son's behaviour. Jojo was, after all, a very energetic and optimistic child. It wasn't like him to be so depressed. He did everything he could to encourage Jojo to make friends but to no avail._

_Two weeks after they moved to Bonta, Jojo was still spending his time alone with Fleeflee in the isolation of his room. Kerubim was beginning to wonder whether leaving Astrub was such a good idea. He was upset by Jojo's depression but couldn't do anything to cheer him up._

_One day, while doing shopping on the market, he unexpectedly bumped into his old rival, Indie Delagrandaventure. They were both surprised by the meeting. Somehow, they found themselves in a bar, drinking Bonta Root Beer and talking about their current life. Without even noticing, Kerubim complained to Indie about Jojo's depression. He talked about the boy's attempts to make friends, all failed because of his appearance. Although being Kerubim's rival, Indie felt sorry for little Jojo. Wanting to make up with the Ecaflip, he suggested a solution. His own adoptive daughter, a young Ouginak named Lilotte, had a similar problem to Jojo's. After some arrangements, they decided to give the two a chance._

_The first meeting didn't go as planned, however. Lilotte first got scared of Jojo's appearance and then started to make fun of him, joking he fell into the oil barrel when he was young. Angered, Jojo insulted Lilotte's dress, claiming she looked like a beggar and the colour itself made her look like a rotten orange. It went on and on for minutes, the two exchanging insults and quarrelling about every little thing. Kerubim and Indie wanted to intervene but the children were too caught up they didn't even pay attention to the adults._

_It seemed as the idea was the lost cause. Suddenly, Jojo started running at an enormous speed, circling around Lilotte. Both Indie and Kerubim were surprised, not knowing why he did so. They deduced probably Lilotte said something about his speed and he tried to prove her wrong. Whatever it was, the next moments changed everything._

_The young Ouginak's eyes tried to follow the hooded boy but he was too fast. Dizzy, she fell to her but, head spinning. Jojo stopped and looked at the Ouginak in confusion. The girl shook her head to get rid of dizziness and managed to look at Jojo. Both Kerubim and Indie held their breaths, not knowing what will happen. Neither anticipated the reaction that escaped Lilotte._

_"That was amazing! How can you do that?!" she shouted in amazement, her eyes sparkling. Taken aback by the response, Jojo just stared down at the sitting Ouginak. "Were you always able to run that fast? Can you do anything else? I never saw anyone so fast!"_

_Lilotte kept on babbling, jumping around the hooded boy. Before he even managed to react, she grabbed him by the hand and dragged him outside, saying something about testing his skills on the more adapted space. Kerubim and Indie let out the breaths of relief. They looked at each other and smiled. It seemed the idea wasn't that bad after all._

_"Like father, like son" Indie commented to which Kerubim huffed._

_"Oh please, Jojo is far better-behaved than Lilotte" he replied. "She was the one starting the quarrel"_

_"But she also ended it" the Ouginak argued._

_"Only because Jojo made her shut up" the Ecaflip replied. They looked at each other for a moment with furrowed brows. Suddenly, Indie grinned and hang his shoulder around Kerubim's neck._

_"What do you say about another round of Bonta Root Beer?" he asked with a smile._

_"With pleasure, my friend" the Ecaflip replied with a smirk. "But only if you're paying"_

_"In your dreams, BowMeow" the Ouginak answered and they both laughed._

~~~

"That was the start of the friendship between little Jojo and Lilotte" grandma finished the story with a smile. "Both of them learned something that day. Do you know what that was?"

The girl smiled back and nodded.

"Jojo learned you can't be afraid to make friends" she replied happily. "And Lilotte..." she eyed the green glasses in the old Eniripsa's hand. "... she learned that you can't judge anyone by how they look"

"Exactly" the grandma nodded and patted the young girl on the head. "Does that make you feel any better?"

"Yes, thank you, grandma!" Anrika hugged the elderly woman and put the glasses on her nose. "I won't pay attention to the jokes anymore"

"Good, good" the old Eniripsa agreed and stood up. "I'm going to help your mother with dinner now. Get changed and join us when you're ready"

"Okay~" the girl replied cheerfully and flew up to her closet. Grandma smiled and left the room, moving towards the kitchen.

_A good story can banish any nightmare_ , she thought as she entered the kitchen.

\---

Another thunder shook the house. The young Eniripsa trembled under the blanket, eyes clenched in fear. The rain pounded on the window and bolts of lightning flashed over the trees. With another booming noise, the startled girl yelped and rushed out of the room. She sped into the bedroom at the end of the corridor and launched herself into the sleeping person.

"Oh my!" the elderly Eniripsa let out a startled cry as the small girl bumped into her.

Thunder roared outside the window and Anrika buried herself deeper in the embrace. Grandma smiled and stroked the blonde gently. She knew her granddaughter got easily scared, so she knew how to handle the situation.

"You know, it was during the storm like this Master Joris and Ogrest fought over the two Primordial Dofus" she started, noticing the girl shifting slightly. The amber eyes were still watery but the old Eniripsa could see a hint of curiosity. She waited a moment for the girl to get comfortable before she started yet another story.

~~~

_It happened in the year 789. At that time, Master Joris was already known under the name of the Master of Bonta, serving the Royalty as an emissary for centuries. Throughout the years, as his immortality became more evident, he began distancing himself from others more and more. He talked less about himself. Even now, very little is known about Master Joris, apart from being immortal and possessing impressive speed and skills. He still lived in his Shushu-possessed house, along with his now-adopted-sons, Kerubim and Atcham._

_Deep in the basement, unbeknown to his sons, the two Primordial Dofus were hidden, in the constant care of their guardian. To this point, nobody knows how Ogrest learned of their whereabouts, as Master Joris never spoke about them, and anyone knowing the secret was long gone._

~~~

"What about Atcham and Kerubim?" Anrika intercepted. "Didn't they know about the Dofus?"

"They once did but they were reborn a few times already" the older woman explained. "And each time they were reborn, their memories of previous life disappeared"

"It must have been hard for Master Joris," the young Eniripsa said with sadness. "To see your loved ones die and be reborn again and again, with no recollection of anything that already happened"

"Yes, that is also the reason why he was so distanced and closed" grandma nodded her head in agreement. "Now," she poked the girl's nose playfully. "Let's resume the story"

~~~

_It was late afternoon. That day, Master Joris had less work than usual and managed to come back home earlier. He was relaxing in his favourite armchair, with a cup of hot tea and a book. His sons were elsewhere in town, tending to their own business. Given the last few days were rather hard on the small master, he was more than happy to be on his own._

_The rain was pounding on the windowsills. He could hear the branches of the trees tapping on the glass as the wind moved around them. Oh, how glad he was to be sitting in the warmness of his home rather than outside. With a quiet hum, he reached out for his cup and sipped his tea._

_Just as he was putting down the cup, there was a startling noise coming from downstairs. Master Joris frowned and closed his book, laying it on the nearby table. Carefully, he moved towards the door and listened. His brows furrowed as he heard more noises from the shop. It sounded as if someone was turning the whole place upside down. He quietly reached the stairs, unsure of who he might run across._

_He slipped downstairs and stopped in shock at the sight before him. The shop was a mess. The shelves were knocked over, the items spread haphazardly all over the floor. The entrance to the house was a gaping hole as if someone forced their way inside. And there, in the corner of the room, shuffling through a pile of Kerub's collectables, was the largest ogre he had ever seen._

_"What's the meaning of this?" Master Joris called out, trying not to sound scared. Although living for almost four decades, he had never met such a terrifying monster._

_The ogre ceased its work and turned around, facing the intruder. Master Joris froze as he recognised it. Ogrest, an ogre created by accident in Master Otomai's laboratory._

_At the beginning of its life, the creature was a small harmless green-coloured child, even acting like one. Everything changed one year ago. Driven by unknown motives, Ogrest began his journey through the World of Twelve searching for the Six Primordial Dofus. As he collected them, his appearance and strength changed, adapting to the power he possessed. As far as Master Joris was concerned, he managed to track down and gather four of them. Which left only two..._

_The master of Bonta gulped as he remembered the Dragon Eggs residing at the back of his basement. The thought of Ogrest obtaining all six ancient artefacts sent a chill down his spine. He couldn't let that happen, no matter the cost._

_"The Dofus" the ogre's voice was guttural and penetrating. Joris clenched his fists in an attempt to stop the involuntary shaking._

_"You won't get them" he replied in a tight voice._

_Ogrest starred at him for a moment before repeating the demand. Again, Master Joris declined. When he did so for the third time, Ogrest snapped._

_Before he had any time to react, the ogre charged at him, its head whooping into his abdomen. He flew back, his back smashing into the opposite wall. The pain erupted in his body, his vision fogging. He stumbled up, one hand leaning on the wall while the other rested on his abdomen. The wheezing that was coming out when he breathed didn't sound good. He hoped his broken ribs didn't punctuate his lungs._

_He dodged the next attack by pure accident. When he let go of the wall, his knees crumpled and he fell down. Moments later, Ogrest's fist flew over his head and buried itself in the wall he was leaning on. He scrambled away, hiding behind one of the fallen shelves. He tried to calm his breathing as he heard the monster trashing around the room. He sighed silently, giving thanks to Jiva for Ogrest's oblivescence._

_After a few minutes, his breathing was still sharp but at least he didn't feel the burning in his chest. Just as he was readying himself for facing his opponent again, he noticed something. Silence. He couldn't hear anything, not a sound was coming out from the shop. He peeked out from behind the shelf and tensed. Ogrest was gone. His eyes darted around the room until he spotted a large hole in the floor. He cursed under his breath, realising where did it lead to. The basement. And the Dofus._

_Not wanting to lose any more of precious time, he moved swiftly towards the hidden door to the cellar. His steps were slower than he wished them to but his body refused to move any faster. He tried calling out to Luis but the Shushu didn't answer. Cursing again he approached the door and opened them. He spotted the intruder almost immediately._

_"You're not wanted here" he called out. Ogrest stopped his search and turned around._

_"Where the Dofus?" he demanded, approaching the small master in three large steps. He was now towering over the much shorter figure. "Where?!" he roared._

_"They are not yours to have" Joris stated, his eyes already scanning the surrounding for an escape route. He had no doubt the ogre will attack again._

_As predicted, the monster roared again and charged. This time, however, the small master managed to sidestep right in time. Ogrest collided with the wall behind and fell down, dizzied by the blow. Joris took advantage of the situation and ran further into the basement. He was passing row after row, moving deeper into the maze of shelves, chests and crates._

_He stopped dead in his tracks, as he recognized the area. He stared right into the medium-sized chest he stood before._

_Moments after he realized his mistake, pain erupted in his head. He fell forward, a large hand pushing his face into the wooden planks of the floor. He tried to escape but the hold was firm and strong. Ogrest raised him up and slammed his body down, time after time._

_After what felt like hours, his limp body was lifted and positioned in front of the ogre's face. Barely conscious, Joris fought to keep his eyes open. He stared at the monster with blank eyes._

_"The Dofus" Ogrest repeated._

_"They don't... belong... to you..." the master of Bonta uttered. The wheezing returned, his fear of punctuated lungs growing stronger._

_In a rush of anger, the ogre threw the small body forward. Joris felt a sharp bolt of pain as his back met with the chest. The trunk toppled over. The two Dragon Eggs rolled out and stopped beneath Ogrest's feet. The creature looked down and laughed, reaching out for the artefacts._

_Just before losing consciousness, Joris remembered the ominous glow as the ogre held up the Dofus and swallowed them down._

_It was only minutes later the two Ecaflips came back home and noticed the damage. They found Master Joris passed out in the basement with the empty chest fallen over next to him. The best Eniripsa was called upon almost immediately, carefully tending to the injured master. It was two hours later the wounds were treated and Joris was left to rest._

_When he woke up the next day, it was to the new era. The era of Ogrest's Chaos._

~~~

Amber eyes stared right into the elderly Eniripsa. The rain outside eased to only gentle tapping on the windowsills.

"Was Master Joris okay?" Anrika asked fearfully.

"He had to rest for two weeks to be back to full strength" grandma replied and stroked the girl's head. "But he's a resilient one, so he managed"

"And the Dofus?" the young blonde inquired. "Did he get them back?"

"He did" the old Eniripsa nodded. "But that's a story for another time. I believe it's the right time you go to bed"

Anrika yawned in response and grandma chuckled. She led the sleepy girl back to her own bedroom and tucked her in.

"Sweet dreams, little buzz" she planted a small kiss on her granddaughter's forehead. A girl closed her eyes and turned, falling asleep quite fast. The elderly woman smiled and retreated to her own room, leaving the girl to her own dreamland.


	2. Mizhap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mizpah (n.) - the deep emotional bond between people, especially those separated by distance or death

"Mommy, look! That lady has blue!"

"Oh, I see orange over there!"

"Wow, these are purple! I haven't seen purple before!"

"Green! Just like mine!"

The adult female Eniripsa massaged her temples and sighed as her daughter kept on shouting and pointing at people, attracting attention to herself. She heard a quiet chuckle and shot a glare at the elderly woman to her right.

"I told you it was a bad idea, mom" she grumbled.

"She's just excited, Hestia" the woman waved her hand dismissively. "It's her first time seeing that many of us"

"Who did she get that energy from?" the younger woman, Hestia, wondered out loud.

"I recall someone being as energetic in their youth" the old Eniripsa replied with a small taunt in her voice.

"Not that much" Hestia answered back in a quiet voice, turning her head away to hide a blush. Another chuckle followed.

"Grandma! Did you see?" the green-winged girl with blond ponytails skidded to a stop in front of the two women and tugged the older one by the sleeve. "Everyone's wings have different colours!"

"Yes, little buzz" the Eniripsa patted her granddaughter on the head. "Our wings come in different colours"

"But why is it so? Wouldn't it be better for everybody to have the same colour?" the girl inquired.

"If everyone had the same colour, would you get excited at the sight, as you did now?" grandma asked back and Anrika pondered about the idea. She then shook her head.

"No, I don't think so" she replied truthfully. The elderly Eniripsa nodded in agreement.

"Different wings serve another purpose, too," she said as they continued down the street. "It shows that even if we all serve the same Goddess, each one is unique. You won't find two Eniripsas with the same wings"

"But mommy, grandma, daddy and me, all have green wings" Anrika argued as she flew in front as if to prove her point. 

"They are all green, that's correct" grandma nodded. "But the pattern is different. Look at me and your mom" she pointed to the other woman. "My wings have little flowers on them, while hers are filled with spirals"

Anrika flew closer to inspect both pairs of wings.

"And what pattern does daddy have?" she asked as she confirmed what the grandma was saying.

"You can see for yourself. He's just coming" the younger woman pointed to the direction.

Anrika squeed in delight and shot up, almost hitting her dad in all her excitement. The two Eniripsas laughed as they observed the poor man trying to get a hold of his daughter, while she darted around and poked his wings.

"You're mischevious one, darling" grandma pointed out to which the other woman only shrugged.

"We're the ones to have to usually put up with her" she replied. "Let him struggle for a bit"

After a few minutes, when Anrika still didn't show any signs of stopping, they finally decided to step in. It took only a moment to calm the girl down, at least to the satisfying level. The look the man gave his wife was something between 'Thank you' and 'What took you so long?'. She smiled sweetly in response but he knew the message it conveyed. Never again claim I'm doing nothing the whole day. He gulped and nodded, knowing better than to argue with the woman. There was a danger under those sweet features.

When the mental conversation between Anrika's parents was finished, they moved again, walking in the direction the most Eniripsas were going.

"Mommy, why are we here, again?" the girl tugged her mother's arm as she asked the question.

"It's the Firefly Day celebration" the woman replied as she pulled her daughter closer not to lose her in the thickening crowd. "It's the annual event for all Eniripsas in the World of Twelve"

"But can't we do it from our house?" the girl inquired. "And what does 'annual' mean?"

"It means the event takes place once a year" grandma offered the answer and smiled. "And it's a big celebration, so all of us try to gather in capital to be together"

"But what's so important about this day?" Anrika kept on asking and grandma chuckled at her curiosity.

"We believe it was on that day, many thousands of years ago, our Goddess showed herself to the people in the World of Twelve and our species came to be. The legend says she appeared as the firefly, hence the name for this day. The first Eniripsas are said to be granted her magic brush, which allowed them to perform healing magic. This is also the reason healers use brushes - to honour the Goddess" she explained patiently. "So, each year, on the Firefly Day, we travel to the capital to thank our Goddess for her grace and kindness" 

"I see..." the girl replied as she glanced at her grandma's brush. "Are you a healer then, grandma?"

"Yes, little buzz" she nodded with a smile. "So is your mother"

Anrika's eyes flew to the other woman's hand and noticed the similar brush held between slender fingers. Her gaze jumped between the two objects as if she was pondering on something important.

"Grandma, Mum, I've decided!" she called out suddenly, startling her family with a sudden outburst. She grinned so widely her smile turned into a crescent. She flew closer, a pure determination clearly visible in her amber eyes. "I'm going to be a healer. I will help people, just like you. And I will become such a great healer, the Goddess herself will be so proud she will grant me her magic brush!"

There was a moment of silence. The two women and one man stared at the small girl with mouths agape. Then, grandma let out a small chuckle and hugged her granddaughter tightly.

"Of course you will, little buzz," she said as she brushed her hair with her wrinkled hand. "I'm glad you've found such a beautiful goal, isn't that right, Hestia darling?"

The said woman smiled and nodded. Her daughter surely could surprise with her ideas. And while some of them she didn't agree with, this one she wholly approved of.

Suddenly, a sound of bells ringed through the streets. The usual city murmur stopped abruptly and everyone stared in the direction of the bell-tower.

"What's going on, mommy?" Anrika asked as she too looked at the enormous building. "Why does it ring?"

"The parade is starting" Hestia replied with a smile and reached for her daughter's hand. The Eniripsas started to move again in the direction of the main street and it was getting more and more crowded. "Let's go find someplace with a good view"

Together they waved through the crowd, slowly advancing the place of celebration. Hestia was making sure she doesn't let go of the small hand, not wanting to risk losing the small girl from her sight. She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and looked back to see her husband pointing his head towards one of the balconies. It faced the main street and, at least for now, was empty. She nodded and the whole family changed direction, moving towards the spot. After some time, they managed to get close enough, and they flew up, landing safely on the balcony.

Hestia looked around and nodded approvingly. The place had no doors leading to the inside, so it was safe to assume, it was built clearly for the purpose of watching the parade. As she gazed up and down the street, she noticed a few more of such balconies. All of them were small, fitting only four people. And all of them were already taken.

"Good call, honey" she nodded to her husband as Anrika flew closer to the railing and looked down. "We have a really good view up here"

The only reply she got was a nod back. She smiled and shook her had. He was never much of a talker but she didn't mind.

"Grandma, mommy, look!" Anrika called as she leaned from the railing, her small finger pointing to a small crowd in the distance, slowly advancing in their direction. "The parade is coming!"

They watched as the crowd was moving closer, more and more details showing. Soon, they also heard the music. The Royal Orchestra was leading, their wings and instruments sparkling in the sun. They were followed by a great number of moving platforms, each showing a different scene from the Firefly Day legend.

Finally, at the very end, the biggest and the most impressive platform came into view. The ten-metre-tall figure of the Eniripsa Goddess stood proud in the centre of the platform. The enormous wings glistened and the long hair blew in the gentle wind, appearing so realistic, Hestia had to remind herself it was only a statue, not a Goddes herself. At the bottom of the figure, stood a throne, decorated with flowers and glitter. There, on the plush pillows, sat the Queen herself. She was dressed in a white and pink dress, completed with a white dotted fur mantle which created a heart shape just behind her head. There was a ruby heart brooch holding the mantle in place. The Queen's blond hair was let loose and she wore a simple golden tiara on her head.

She was smiling and waving at the gathered Eniripsas. Anrika's eyes shimmered as she gaped at the Queen.

"So beautiful..." she whispered in awe. She has never before seen the Queen in her 10-year-old life.

Suddenly, she noticed a bit of blue on the Queen's right, which felt kinda out-of-place. She focused her gaze on that spot and gasped loudly.

"Grandma, look!" she shook the elderly Eniripsa's arm as she pointed her finger towards the platform. "Master Joris!"

Truthfully, right next to the Queen, sat the ambassador of Bonta. Grandma smiled and chuckled as she observed her granddaughter's reaction. After hearing so many (mostly made-up) stories about the small master, she finally managed to see him in real life. The reaction was priceless.

Anrika stood frozen, only her eyes following every movement of the ambassador in blue. He seemed to be engaged in the conversation with the Queen, but his keen eyes observed the surrounding with great caution. The small Eniripsa grabbed the railing and leaned over dangerously, as the platform moved further away and Master Joris disappeared from the view. Hestia yelped in surprise and horror at the sudden action. The little girl would have fallen out if it wasn't for her father who grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled her back.

She was so focused on the receded platform she didn't pay any attention to her mother's lecturing her about safety. When finally the platform became only a small dot in the distance, she turned to her family with the biggest smile they ever saw her with.

"I've seen Master Joris, grandma!" she squeed in delight as she jumped up and down in joy.

"You sure did, little buzz" the old Enripsa replied before her daughter could scold the little girl. It would only fall to the deaf ears at this point, she decided.

\---

It took a good fifteen minutes for the little Eniripsa to finally calm down enough to be able to listen to anything. Hestia didn't save on scolding, making sure her daughter understood well what the results of her actions could have been. It was only after another few minutes the woman stopped speaking and looked expectantly to the girl.

"I'm sorry, mommy" Anrika whispered, her foot making circles on the ground and her eyes cast downwards. "I guess I was caught up in a moment..."

Hestia sighed and kneeled down to her daughter's level. She grabbed the girl's chin and moved it up to look into her eyes.

"I understand it's hard to control what you're doing when you're excited but it would make me feel better if you try to think before you do anything that rash," she said as she looked into those amber eyes. Anrika nodded and hugged her mother tightly, whispering another apology.

"Well, with that out of the way" grandma cut in, clasping her hands together. "How about we go to the main market and look at some stalls? I think I saw them selling caramel apples"

"I love caramel apples!" the little girl chirped and grabbed for her mother's sleeve. "Can I have a caramel apple, mommy? Pretty please?"

"All right, all right. Just stop pulling me or you'll tear my sleeve out" the woman laughed at the enthusiasm.

In the end, it went down to three caramel apples, two popsicles and a small bag of peanuts to satisfy the small Eniripsa.

"Where does she fit all that?" Hestia wondered as the last of the peanuts disappeared in her daughter's stomach. "If it only went to her heights, I wouldn't mind"

"Relax, darling" the elder woman patted her shoulder. "Let her have a little fun. It's not always she visits anywhere away from our village"

Hestia sighed but compiled, her eyes following the little girl flying from one stall to another.

"Anrika, make sure to stay close to-" she called out but the rest of her words got lost in a sudden explosion.

Someone screamed and the chaos broke out. People started running in every direction, trying to get away from the explosions.

"Anrika!" the woman cried, stretching to see the girl in all this crowd.

"I'll get her, you two get somewhere safe" her mother called out as she flew higher for a clearer view. "We'll meet under the Goddess statue"

Before Hestia managed to argue, the older Eniripsa flew away, calling her granddaughter's name. Still worried for her daughter but trusting in her mother, she turned back to her husband and nodded.

"Let's go," she said and they turned around, waving the crowd in the general direction of the Goddess square.

\---

Anrika was terrified. One moment she was having a happy stroll with her family, and another the hell broke out. In a matter of seconds, she was sucked into a river of panicked strangers. She tried to resist the pull but her small wings and arms were no match for the crowd. When she finally managed to get away from the mass of Eniripsas, she found herself on the unfamiliar streets. The crowd quickly disappeared, moving away from the sources of explosions. The little girl made a full circle, trying to find something, anything that will help her find the way back to her family. However, no building seemed familiar to her. It was deadly quiet, the previously clear sky covered in dark clouds, a deep thunder rumbled in the distance. Anrika felt much smaller than she already was. Tears welled up in her amber eyes.

"Well, well, well" a sudden masculine voice caught her by surprise. She let out a small yelp and turned around to find the source of the voice. "What do we have here?"

A slim figure stepped out from the shadow cast by one of the buildings. It was hard to tell who it was, except for the voice, as the person was wearing a mask covering the face. He came closer, his fingers playing with the knife.

Instinctively, Anrika stepped back, trying to put more distance between herself and the man.

"A little girl separated from her family. How unfortunate" he teased, his gaze set on the little blonde.

"Brother, what are you doing?" another voice, female, called out from behind her. She turned on her heel and was met up with another masked figure looking down on her.

"Nothing much. Just having some fun with the little one over here" the man replied with a shrug.

The woman hummed in response and seized the Eniripsa. A chill went down Anrika's spine. She could sense the woman was smirking, although the mask was covering her whole face. She took another step back and fell down with a yelp. She was so terrified, the tears have dried. She tried to muster a scream but her throat felt dry and no sound came out.

"No matter" the woman looked up at her companion. "We don't have time for that. Just kill her and let's go"

Anrika's breath stopped as she heard those words. She did hear the man arguing about wanting to have some fun but the woman shut him out pretty quick. With a sigh, he grabbed his knife with a sure grip and kneeled down in front of the girl.

"Sorry, babydoll," he said, as he pointed his weapon at her chest. "I would love to spend more time with you but orders are orders"

The blade glistened as the man raised his hand. Anrika closed her eyes in horror and waited for the attack.

Suddenly, she felt a rush of wind and the loud thump of a body falling a few meters away from her. She dared to take a peek and noticed blue. Her eyes flew open as she stared at the person in front of her. His blue mantle moved in the breeze and he was leaning on the hilt of his hammer. He turned around and she looked into his eyes, hidden beneath the darkness of the hood.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently, offering her a hand. She managed to nod her head slightly as he helped her to her feet. "What are you doing here, all alone? It's dangerous"

"I-I was with my family when-" she tried to explain but her voice was trembling so much she was having trouble explaining herself. She was both terrified about the whole situation and ecstatic about meeting Master Joris.

"I see" he nodded in acknowledgement. "I will get you somewhere safe once-"

"Who are they?" she asked as she looked at the two attackers lying on the ground. They were grunting in pain but didn't try to get up just yet. She looked back at the ambassador and could see he was debating on whether and what to tell her.

"They're the members of Ogrest Cult" he finally said, his eyes set on the two on the ground. "Their only goal is causing chaos everywhere they go"

More grunting came to their ears and one of the two tried to push himself up but failed.

"It's better we leave before they regain strength," Master Joris said as he picked up his hammer and held Anrika's hand in his. "I can't fight them and protect you at the same time"

The girl nodded in understanding and quietly followed the man. They were moving fast through the streets, Master Joris changing the course multiple times to avoid falling into other Cult members. They rounded another corner when a familiar sound reached the young Eniripsa's ears.

"Anrika!" an elderly woman was in the middle of the street, desperately calling out her name. Tears welled up her eyes and she shot up, ignoring Master Joris' shouts of caution.

"Grandma!" she cried out as she burst right into the shocked woman. They both fell to the ground.

"Little buzz, you're okay" the old Eniripsa exclaimed, hugging her granddaughter to her chest. "I was afraid of the worst"

"I was so scared when this crowd took me with them, grandma" the girl cried, her face pushing into the other's dress. "You were nowhere in sight and I didn't know where I was. Then these scary people showed up and they tried to kill me and-"

"Kill you?!" grandma shrieked in shock as she pushed the girl away and held her by the shoulders. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Master Joris saved me" the girl nodded. "He knocked them out and took me with him"

"Master Joris?" the elderly Eniripsa asked quizzically and looked to where the girl came from.

There, true to Anrika's words, stood the small master of Bonta. Upon locking eyes he nodded his head ever so slightly and ran in the opposite direction. The woman whispered a quiet thanks to the master and grabbed the girl's hand.

"Let's go, little buzz," she said. "Your parents must be worried sick by now"

The walk to the Goddess square was relatively quick. Anrika was immediately pulled into a bone-crushing hug by both her mother and father. They all cried from joy that their little girl was safe and sound. The Firefly Day celebration forgotten, they quickly gathered their bearings and left the capital as soon as they could. Little did they know, the dark clouds have not gone away just yet...

\---

It was two weeks after the unfortunate celebration when Anrika's world came crumbling down. It was unexpected and took them all by surprise. No one was ready for it, nor they could prepare themselves for what was to come.

It was a usual sunny day in the village. Anrika was playing tag with Mr Puffy outside of her house. They were flying back and forth, trying to catch one another in a happy atmosphere.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash in the house, followed by a terrifying scream.

"Mother!" the woman's voice pierced the air. Anrika stopped dead in the middle of the chase and didn't budge when her pet flew right into her back. Her amber eyes widened in horror. "Get the medic, quickly!" her mother called out and a moment later her father shot out of the house and rushed down the street.

Led by the fear, Anrika hurried inside, almost bumping into her mother. She was carrying the unconscious body of her grandma, her eyes filled with worry.

"Anrika, open the door!" she ordered as she caught sight of her daughter. It took only a moment for the girl to understand which door she meant and she rushed to open them. Hestia flew inside the room and gently laid the elder woman on the bed.

"Mommy, what's wrong with grandma?" the blonde girl asked quietly but the only response she got was the shake of the head and a silent weep.

Soon, she heard raised voices and her father rushed into the room, followed by the village medic. She was an elderly woman, a few years younger than grandma. She advanced towards the bed and moved her brush up and down the body, muttering under her breath.

There was a quiet groan and grandma's eyes slowly opened.

"Mother/Grandma!" Hestia and Anrika called in unison, to which the elderly Eniripsa winced.

"Oh hush, you two" she grunted and tried to sit up but was stopped by the firm hand of the medic. "I'm okay, nothing to worry about"

"I beg to differ, madame" the medic shook her head. "From what I see it doesn't seem as it's something to take so lightly"

"So you say I don't know my own body?" grandma argued and tried to sit up again which resulted in a coughing fit.

"I only say what I see" the medic replied and turned to Hestia. "I won't be beating around the bush, madame. The situation is critical and there is nothing I can do"

"What are you saying?" the mother gasped and stared at the medic.

"She's dying, madame" the reply was simple as if she was describing the weather outside. "And it was happening for at least a year, from what I can see here"

"A year?!" Hestia looked at the said woman with wide eyes.

"So I'm dying, big deal" grandma grunted, not daring to meet her daughter's eyes. "Everyone is"

"Not for cancer" the medic shook her head disapprovingly. "You should have gone to see me as soon as it started. Now it's only a matter of hours"

"Hours?!" Anrika's mother cried out. "How could you not tell me about it?!"

"Because you would react as you are right now" grandma replied. Mother huffed and stomped out of the room, muttering under her breath. The medic sighed and looked at Anrika's father.

"I can give her something to ease the pain but you should probably be ready to say your goodbyes soon," she said. The man nodded and stared with a sad expression at the woman in bed. The medic waved her brush a few more times and left, nodding her head at the occupants of the room.

Father took one more look at the grandma and left, probably in search of his wife. Anrika stayed where she stood, by the back wall, unsure of what she's supposed to do now. She always assumed grandma will be around. The concept of death wasn't alien to her but she couldn't bear to think of anyone from her family dying. And now, despite her will, she was faced with the situation she couldn't even understand fully. She shuffled from one foot to another, stealing a glance at her grandma. She heard her sigh heavily and pat the bed.

"Come join me, little buzz" she smiled a little. Anrika slowly approached the bed and gently climbed onto the covers.

"Is it true, grandma?" she asked, her amber eyes boring holes in the elderly woman. "Are you going to die?"

"I'm afraid so, little buzz" the wrinkled hand gently brushed her blonde hair. Tears danced in her eyes.

"I don't want you to," Anrika said, her upper lip trembling.

"I don't want it to happen either but that's how it is" grandma replied as she continued to brush her hair. There was a long silence when neither of them spoke. "I think it calls for a story" the woman suddenly said with a little smile. "And I promised to tell you how Master Joris get back the Dofus"

At first, Anrika wanted to argue but decided against it. She didn't understand much about death but she knew enough to let grandma have her way. She somehow knew it's going to be the last story she ever hears.

~~~

_Ogrest was gone. Well, not really gone. Thanks to Yugo, Persival and Master Otomai's bravery, the Six Primordial Dofus were separated from the ogre's body and he turned back to his original form. After he apologized to the king Sheran Sharm, Master Otomai took him back to his house, where he stayed under his care._

_The Six Primordial Dofus were divided and given out to the members of the Brotherhood of Tofu. Each of them promised to hide and keep the Dofus safe, to ensure no-one ever tries to use them for evil._

_Master Joris stood in the back of his basement, staring at the two monochrome eggs lying soundly in the chest. It took many years but they were finally back in his care. He clenched his fists behind his back in determination. This time he's going to make sure they remain hidden from the eyes of the world._

_"Papa, are you there?" he heard a call from somewhere inside the basement. He reached out and closed the lid, securing it with a padlock._

_"I'm here, Keke" he called out, slipping the key into his pocket. He's going to find a safe place to hide it later on. He turned around to face the white-furred Ecaflip emerge from behind the shelves._

_"What are you doing in the basement, papa?" Kerubim questioned with a furrowed brow. "There are only trash in here"_

_"Oh, and I thought they were your treasures" Joris smirked at the remark and looked around. "Maybe we should throw them out if you see them as trash?"_

_"Not my treasures!" the Ecaflip cried and the small master chuckled._

_"Relax, Keke. I'm just teasing" he explained as he moved away._

_"By Ecaflip, do you want me to have a stroke?" his son asked as he gripped his shirt. "But seriously, what were you doing there?"_

_"Stuff" he replied enigmatically as they left the room and closed the door behind them. "Maybe I'll tell you someday"_

_"You're full of secrets already, Papa" Kerubim sighed tiredly as he followed the master upstairs. "You can trust us. We're your family"_

_"I know" Joris smiled. "It's just not easy to let go of your past"_

_"Well," the Ecaflip's tail waved as he pondered at the thought. "Whatever it is, I'm sure you're going to tell us when you're ready"_

_With that, he followed the corridor, disappearing in one of the rooms, leaving Master Joris on his own. Joris smiled at the remark._

_"I will, Keke. I promise" he replied, although the Ecaflip has left already._

~~~

"It's good he got them back" Anrika smiled at her grandma. She nodded but kept silent.

"Little buzz, I have something to ask of you" the elderly Eniripsa finally said after a few minutes of silence. Amber eyes looked up at her expectantly. "I want you to have my brush when I'm gone"

"Your... brush?" the girl asked quizzically. Grandma nodded and reached out to her bedside table, on which the said brush was lying.

"I would love to be with you when you grow up, but the circumstances are against me" she explained as she put the brush in her granddaughter's hands. "That's why I want you to hold on to this. In this way, I can always be with you"

The girl stared at the brush in her hands. She gently traced the carvings on the handle. The amber eyes glistened with tears and she nodded, hugging the brush to her chest.

That night grandma died. And nothing was ever the same as before.


End file.
